Paper-dispensing device.



narran srarns ramena ernten.

GEORGE T. JOHNSON, OF MELROSE, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO THE GEORGE T.

JOHNSON COMPANY, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, A CORPORATION OF MASSA- CHUSETTS.

IPAPER-DISPENSING DEVICE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed. February 3,1917. Serial No. 146,403.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE T. JOHNSON, a citizen of the United States, residing at Melrose, in the county of Middlesex, 'tate of Massachusetts, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Paper-Dispensing Devices, of which the following `1s al specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

The invention has relation to paper-dispensing fixtures; more especially to those used for dispensing toilet-paper and paper towels. lt is an improvement in fixtures of the class having loscillatory roll-holders which gravitate into their normal positions. It consists, essentially, in a fixture of the said class constructed to provide for a supplementary spring-resisted radial yielding movement of the roll-holder in response t0 the pull upon the free end of the paperstrip, when the roll-holder reaches the limit of its delivery turning movement, and for a reversely-radial spring-reaction of the roll-holder, occurring when the strip breaks or tears, adapted to loosen what is now the outer end of the strip and throw it apart from the remainderv of the wound mass.

An illustrative embodiment of the invention `is shown in the drawings, in which latter, Y

Figure 1 is a front elevation of a toiletpaper fixture containing the said embodiment.

Fig. 2 is a partly-sectional side elevation thereof.

Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 2, but representing the wound mass of paper and the roll-holder as having been turned to the limit, and also as having` been moved radially by the pull upon the free end of the paper-strip, the strip being shown in unbroken state for the purposes of the view.

Fig. 4 is a partly sectional front elevation showing the eccentric mounting of the roll-holder and the spring which provides for the radial movement of the roll-holder, the roll-holder being shown in an intermediate position.

The illustratedxture has a backing-plate 1 which carries forwardly-projecting sidearms 2, 2a, in ordinary hinge-connection therewith and furnished with bearings '3, 3a, for the journals 4, 4a, of the roll-support. A cotter-pin 5 is shown as occupying a hole 65 through the outer end of journal 4 and serving to keep such journal Within thel bearing 3 at all times and to provide for the continuous connection of the roll-support with the side-arm 2, except when the said cotterpin is removed to permit of separating the roll-support from such side-arm. A latching-spring 6 iS shown in connection with 'bearing 3a, occupying a notch '7 ,in the said bearing and entering a'notch in the journal ta to latch or lock the arm 2a in closed or working position, with` the said journal within the said bearing. The said latchingspring may be pressed out of the notch in the journal to unlock the arm 2a and its bearing 3a from the journal la in case it is desired to separate the arm from the rollsupport, as for the purpose of providing for the application of a roll of paper to the rollholder. The construction, etc., of the parts thus far referred to is not material sov far as the invention is concerned, and may vary in such respects as maybe deemed advisable.

The roll-support comprises essentially a roll-holder or receiver for the wound mass or roll of paper, and a mounting for the said roll-holder or receiver, the said rollholder or receiver and mounting adapted to have in unison a turning movement of limited extent, and said roll-holder or receiver having in addition capacity for independent spring-resisted radial movementrrelative to the mounting. A roll-support having a cylindrical body Sconstituting a roll-holder or receiver for the wound material isr shown in the drawings, but the shape of the rollholder or receiver may'vary in practice, and in the broader phases of the invention the means and manner of supporting, etc., the body of the roll-support may vary. In this instance, the roll-support is madewith heads 9, 9, Vat opposite ends of the body 8, which heads engage with a shaft 10, theend-portions of which constitute the journals 4 and 4a. The said shaft 10 constitutes a mounting yfor the roll-holder receiver, or body S. To provide for the gravitating characteristic of the roll-'support the centerof gravity of the fbody 8 `thereof is eccentrically disposed vvith reference to the said journals a, 4a. This is effected conveniently in the present ease by bending or cranking the shaft, as shown. The roll-support hangs normally in the position shown in Figs. l and 2, namely, with the center of gravity of the roll-support, or roll-support and applied roll 11 of paper, lower than the journals 4 and 4a.

The roll-support-body 8 is combined with the shaft 10 in a manner which causes the shaft to turn in unison with the body 8 when the latter is turned. This may be provided for in practice in any approved way which does not interfere with the desired supplemental or secondary radial movement of the roll-support which is a characteristic of the invention. ln this instance, the desired result is secured through the spring 12 which produces the spring-resistance to the radialmovement in one direction, and the radial spring-reaction in the opposite direction. The said spring 12 is a bent flat or leaf-spring, which is made fast at the inwardly bent middle of its length to a flattened portion of shaft 10, as by means of a screw 13. At opposite sides of the point of fastening the spring extends away from the shaft 10 and occupies the hollow of a sheet-metal trough 14 projecting` inward from the shell of the body S. The bent endportions of the spring press radially outward against the bottom of the said trough, and are adapted to slide longitudinally thereon as they move farther away from each other or closer together in consequence of the bending` of the spring when in action. By reason of the engagement of the middle portion of the spring with the shaft 10 and of the end-portions of the spring with the trough 14 connected with the shell of the roll-support-body, the shaft is compelled to turn in unison with the roll-support-body. In order to provide for the radial movement of the roll-support-body relative to the shaft, the heads 9, 9, are radially slotted from the center outward to fit the shaft.

The limit of the turning movement of the -roll-support under the influence of a pull upon the free outer end 11a of the paper- Strip'may be fixed by any convenient device for the purpose. ln this instance such limit is fixed by means of a stop-pin ,15 carried by side-arm 2 and with which the .adjacent cranked portion of shaft 10 engages as in Fig. 3.

In practice suitable provision will be made for so engaging the wound mass or roll of paper with the roll-support that the said mass or roll and the said body will turn in unison with each other. The provision shown in the drawings may be employed, or not, as may be deemed advisable. For the purpose just stated, the drawings show the roll-support bodyY 8 as having at one end thereof a ring 16 furnished with a number of projectionsor fingers 17, 17, 17. The said projections or fingers are three in number, as shown, but' the number actually provided in practice may be one or more. They are bent outward from the surface of the body 8, and are caused to enter notches made in one end of the tubular shell 1S constituting a core on which the paperl is wound. By reason of the engagement of the projections or fingers with the said core it follows that when the free outer end 11a of the paper is pulled upon so as to turn the mass or roll 1l the roll-support is caused to turn in unison with the said roll.

Starting with the roll and roll-support in their normal position shown in Figs.` 1

vand 2, a pull upon the free end 11a of the paper will turn or rotate the roll or mass of paper and the roll-support until the turning movement is arrested, which in Vthe case of the illustrated embodiment of the invention will happen when the cranked portion of shaft 10 brings up .against stop-pin 15. Following this arrest of the turning movement, continued pull upon the end 11n, as in the outward direction indicated by the arrow in Fig. 3, will operate to move the roll and roll-support bodily, in a radial directiomby compressing the spring 14 as Ishown in Fig. 3, until the increasing tension of the spring, or the limit of its compressibility, presents a resistance to further inward radial movement vsuflicient to bring about breaking or tearing of the paper strip. The breaking or tearing having occurred, the spring 14 by its reaction in recovering its normal shape will throw back the rollsupport and wound mass or roll in a reverse direction radially, with more or less energy, thereby operating to loosen the eX- tremity of the paper-strip and flirt 'it away from the surface of the wound mass, so that it will hang down in position to be grasped. The mass or roll of paper, and the roll-support, will return by gravity to the position occupied by them in Figs. 1 and 2. l

Vhat is claimed as the invention is A dispensing fixture having a gravitating oscillatory' holder for a wound mass or roll and constructed to provide `for a supplementary spring-resisted radial movement of the said holder in response to the pull upon the free end of the strip of wound material, when the holder reaches the limit of its delivery Vturning movement, and for a reversely-radial spring-reaction of the holder when the strip parts, adapted to loosen and separate the outer end of the said strip.

. 2. A dispensing fixture having a gravitating oscillatory roll-holder comprising a receiver for the roll and a mounting for said receiver, said receiver andmounting adapted to have in unison a turning movement of limited extent, and said receiver 'having in addition capacity for independent springresisted radial movement relative to the mounting. c y

3. A dispensing fixture having a gravitating oscillatory roll-holder comprising a movement of the receiver in one direction 1o receiver for the Wound material to be disand reacts to produce reverse radial movepensed, a crankshaft-mounting for said rement thereof.

ceiver turning in unison with the receiver In testimony whereof I aix my signaand relative to which the receiver is adapted ture in presence of two Witnesses.

to move radially, said roll-holder having its GEORGE T. JOHNSON. center of gravity eccentrically-disposed Witnesses:

with reference to the journals of the crank- CHAS. F. RANDALL,

shaft, and a spring which resists radial ELLEN O. SPRING.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, C. 

